"here is how the roofs are formed." "Weird humor?" " I believe not. After all it`s just comic book style fun and games"

I could have used paper card,but needing a dense roof on each scratch building i decided not to.And So ,A styrene roof for the round houses. A basic circle with a quarter of it cut away. The lines were lightly scored with a sharp craft knife ,and a small middle section cut completely out. This formed the smoke hole in the roof top as this simply folded inwards and up, and in doing so a cone shaped roof was formed. Sellotape is a temporary fix while other stuff needs cutting out and sticking into place.

There will be edges to trim off and cuts to the horizontal angle made,but this is how the first part of the roofs are now formed in a good cone shape. Turning them upside down,the wood frame work will be stuck into place, and a wooden guides will set each rooftop sturdy into place. Once they sit rather comfy-like upon their buildings the outside thatching work can begin.The entire roofs will be as hard as rock when complete, "Just like the long house is now."

The Chiefs House is the next one to plan. It sits atop that cliff,and I just love this old cartoon picture of bygone Asterix & Obelix comic book days.

So i hope some of you guys will follow along. "It should be very interesting." BB

Thank you for commenting Graeme, i hope you continue to follow along on this comic book trail of fun. As indeed I hope all you guys pressing that `Like Button ', do as well.

This topic struggled a bit during the first three or four weeks,and i nearly binned it there and then,but lots of visitors take a look now and I`m content to show a little bit more without becoming a bore. With lots more in the planing stages,and new ideas to practice a scratch point to, i hope to see you guys later. BB

I must say this topic is turning into a comic-book itself ! The pictures are realy inspiring and the way you explain every step is realy enjoyable to read !!. I also admire your persistance (i hope i use the right word) concerning the thatched roof. My god what a work, but is looks fantastic

Very cool dykio, of you to leave nice comments, and leave me with a good question. It reminds me of the old saying," How long is a piece of string?" As far as cast up parts are concerned,there is the option to scratch-build many more, but finding the time to do so is a problem in my already 48 hr long day. " sleep where is your pillow?",asked the little button.

A must do is the iconic tree-house a something to construct later.

So for now this is an open ended topic with construction add-on`s as they come. So yes a sort of full and slowly expanding village.That will also suit my entire metal Asterix Collection too. BB

What my village will eventually look like is anyone`s guess because the direction of my hobby work often changes course,as i see other possibilities of reaching a much better quirky end result. So guys what follows is best described as the chaos theory of abstract adventurous fun.

A two hour Sploshing Time was had.

No skill was required,and requirements in this regard was the original sweet tin used to ring out the circle of each roundhouse. Plastic bags,the shaped cone rooftop,a brush, and Plaster of Paris . O, yes water,for making the sploshing! "what is sploshing bb?"

" This is."___ " Yip! It most certainly is."__ " so what ever came next?" "I`m confused already."__________ " Time was for my cuppa tea,and then."

The roof already shown being turned upside down was covered over in one of our doggy bags.

The plaster mix was slowly dragged up the funnel shape with a large cheap hairy brush . Which was most fitting for a Beano Boy type splosh .Sure it trickles back down to the bottom, but gradually it starts to stick to the sides,and soon it was completely covered in the first shell coat that was warmly up nicely.

The little yogurt pot part was filled with water,then tipped into the large part for the mixing in of two heaped table spoonfuls of Plaster. I buy mine fresh mixed from a suppler so this was a hot mix of lime that will set rock hard solid._____________ Unlike old plaster off the shop shelf.

No need to wait the next mix was yes sploshed on,and the same brushing was applied with a smile as i realised this idea might well work. " Imm we will have to see later." " I never know what to expect here."__ " YA! Good who wants formality?

The third mix was a little bit differant,it having soap,and white glue added to it. This is a resin mix that gives a lot more time to splosh a few crude rustic looking wooden beams into place. All sploshed on with an odd brush that seemed not to happy in the unskilled labour it was slowly occupied in doing. " Tough!"

Mrs B,mentioned, "No one will see it Paul",but upon reflection i said," O perhaps a few might see it on Benno`s? "

This crudity will certainly add extra strength to this type of shell casting. " It has turned out Devastatingly neat."____ "i wonder where the spider is?"

Tic a tee boo, the other was also sploshed upon in rustic abstract style too. " Certainly crazy happens here." "very true, and now i know what sploshing it on means" said the little button.

Both insides of each roof will be painted and dry brushed.

I have often found that if one makes a removable top,on a toy or model building someone is bound to lift it off and look at the underside. Now if and when that happens there will be a bright smiling something to view.

With it turned right side up with the plastic bag removed,a small piece is stuck waving near the top like a fluttering flag,but it will all be covered over soon. So no big deal,and now i have a good strong roof base to set out the thatching on. " from small minded weak idea`s come tiny strong things." _ "Very true little button. Time for tea hope to see all you guys super soon with another update.":-D BB

Both roofs were than reinforced with three wire rings,and top type poles all made of wire.

So overlaid with Plaster of Paris, two thirds of the roofs are now complete and being about one quarter inch thick they are very strong indeed. I will let these now dry out for a few days then they can be dipped in color-wash. This will seal them and then the over lay of Plumbers Hemp can begin.

My roundhouses will resemble the middle building seen in the picture above,and the top ring surrounding the smoke hole of plumbers hemp stuck into place will form that shape and will make a tough handle too. Now i need to construct the third roundhouse along with another roof but slightly different from these. BB

While the tops dry out should be by tomorrow,i placed the formation of three,and the planned effect is as i expected. The first building the Longhouse looked enormous on its own in a photo-shoot but having two smaller roundhouses placed either side of it does draw its humongous size down,by illusion and this scene set up with lots of figures give it a credibility to scratch build in this size. Magic!

Painting and Thatching to do next on the roundhouses. Thanks for looking in. BB

Opps! Sorry dykio, i have not answered your question. My unconventional hobby work is not for showing my friend. Sure it will go on Line in several places,and then eventually fade into total obscurity. While here in Fiddle Wood it will sit all in a special row upon an entire shelf collecting dust and cobwebs. The spiders will be evicted on sight by Mrs B. BB

FredG, the spider is certainly looking very hungry and ready to spring for someones throat. It sure sends shivers up my back bone looking at those eyes. Being quite the coward where such fragile creatures are concerned,i ask Mrs B,to put them unharmed out into the garden. Recent activity cutting back ivy on the house has meant large numbers of very large spiders come in daily through the open windows. The place would be infested with them without the careful hands of Mrs B,who has no fear of them. The other day i was sure one handed me a shirt from the old dark wardrobe,and then re-shut the door without a sound.

Wiking, my painted figures are in storage,and are guarded day and night by a lone sentry,Fred!The mono unpainted ones are merely for illustration purposes to help add balance to the scale of the scratch-buildings.__________The gentle pathway is all important. BB